joven orozco

Much could be said about Joven Orozco, but Orozco himself says it better: "I had one birthday party when I was seven. My brother had great toys I couldn't touch, so I created my own toys and made up games. I collected business cards from the stores my family visited. I watched television for eight hours a day. I received pajamas each Christmas until I was 12. I rarely did homework. I loved the Xerox machine at the supermarket up the street from my house. My first job was a dishwasher at a local restaurant. I lasted two weeks. The week after I graduated from high school, my father told me he enrolled me into junior college. Surprise! After of year of classes, the beach and lots of beer, my disappointed father had a conversation with me and told me, 'You should study anything computers, for it is the future!' I looked it up and found a computer graphic design class. I wanted to be a computer graphic designer! There is no such profession. I transferred, studied and graduated from Cal State Fullerton and received four job offers. Decided to go at it alone. I ran with design guys who had a beauty salon business model, and I rented an independent contractor space. My first creative project was naming my company, Joven Orozco Design. What do you think? I learned a lot from reading design literature, my mentors and just faking it. It's been a great 12 years. I had my second birthday party when I was 32."

Is graphic design a growth industry? There are limited opportunities for recently graduated graphic designers. Not many firms are willing to pay, train and nurture a designer straight out of school, only to have him or her leave two years out. As far as opportunities for creative professionals, designers have to be all things creative—a super creative, if you will. They must understand all aspects of the design business and their clients' businesses, for example, how their design affects the bottom line and marketing strategies, printing techniques, measurability, customer service, production and corporate politics. If you just want to do killer design, you will fail. Sorry.

Do graphic designers have a special responsibility to promote a green society? Designers have the power of influence. It's our duty to try to create and educate others. We try to be active in promoting a greener society, but sometimes the budget and deadlines get in the way of our goals. I do, however, see that the increasing trend of "going green" in the business world will be a key differentiator that will increase sales and brand equity in the future. The more consumers are looking for those sell points, the more businesses will follow.

ONE THING I CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT IS memories

FAVORITE MOVIES

Jerry Maguire
Groundhog Day
Dumb and Dumber

FAVORITE BOOKS

The Servant: A Simple Story About the True Essence of Leadership by James C. Hunter
Rich Dad, Poor Dad: What the Rich Teach Their Kids about Money that the Poor and Middle Class Do Not! by Robert T. Kiyosaki and Sharon L. Lechter, C.P.A.
Selling the Invisible: A Field Guide to Modern Marketing by Harry Beckwith

FAVORITE FINE ARTISTS

Warhol
Basquiat
Picasso

FAVORITE TV SHOWS

The Office
The Big Idea
Entourage

BOOKMARKED WEBSITES

functionfox.com
web-stat.com
whois.net
scottrade.com
JOD intranet